Over the last 3 weeks I have been hotel-hopping across the full-service Marriott properties and some Hilton (there are just too many to do all) properties in Austin. I have been a little disgruntled with Marriott as my backup chain (Starwood being primary) and thought would give Hilton (who did comp me to Diamond) a shot. But I do have to say that at least after my experience with the Austin properties, I would stick with Marriott as opposed to Hilton. While Marriott does not seem to care much about their elites at a corporate level, some of their hotel employees are outstanding and its these hotel employees that I am seeing everyday and don't need to talk to the ones at Marriott Rewards or Customer Service. I had 100% success scoring a room on the Club Floors of all properties (Renaissance Austin, Marriott Airport South, Marriott Austin Downtown, Hilton Austin North, Doubletree Austin North, Hilton Downtown), I was given suites for all my Marriott/Renaissance stays but one. While I did not like the downtown property much, I think the staff at the Renaissance and Marriott South are simply wonderful. The Marriott South offers 500 bonus points for eating in their restaurant.

So I will now go back to Marriott as my backup chain even though the 75 nights a year requirement is harder than 28 stays required for Hilton. Unfortunately, Starwood my primary chain has awful presence in Austin (no human should stay in that 4-points). The Austin properties have helped retained a loyal customer for Marriott.

By the way, the location of the Austin South seems to have almost every possible Marriott brand (Marriott, Courtyard, Fairfield Inn, Residence Inn, Springhill Suites)... its just weird to see them one after another off the freeway.